Inspiring early diagnosis of bowel cancer motivates Paul to do ActiveApril

Paul signed up to ActiveApril in 2024 to help with his recovery after surgery and to encourage other people with symptoms to seek help early. His dedication to complete the challenge took huge resilience, as Paul was having treatment for his recently diagnosed bowel cancer at the time. 

A few months before my 54th birthday, I started experiencing a few symptoms of bowel cancer. I had a little blood in my poo, I’d lost a bit of weight and generally felt tired. But at that time, I’d changed my diet and I was running regularly, so I put it down to this and getting older. 

The best birthday present I received that year was my FIT (faecal immunochemical test) kit, which was automatically posted to me because of my age. I knew it was important to take the test, but I didn’t expect anything to come of it. When the results came back as ‘positive’ for needing further exploration, I was referred for a colonoscopy. I was diagnosed with stage 2 bowel cancer in November 2023. 

Finding a focus after my diagnosis 

Initially my diagnosis was a massive shock. I absolutely feared the worst. Once I’d had time to rationalise it, I realised bowel cancer is treatable and curable, especially if diagnosed early. I had some very dark times thinking I might be the exception to the rule. 

I had anterior resection surgery (an operation where part, or all, of the rectum or sigmoid colon and surrounding tissue is removed) in January 2024. A couple of days after getting home I was rushed back to A&E and needed to have emergency surgery for a twisted bowel. This time I took longer to recover. I found that tough as I’d been able to walk for 20 minutes or more after my first operation, now I could barely walk 20 metres without a rest. 

I was determined to do something impactful during this challenging time. I’d used the Bowel Cancer UK website for information and support before my operation, so I wanted to help raise money for the charity. 

ActiveApril helped me on the road to recovery 

I believe my reasonable level of fitness before my first surgery helped me with my recovery, so I was keen to get active again. ActiveApril was the perfect chance to get moving at a level that was right for me, at the same time as fundraising. I also wanted to spread awareness of the disease and tell people not to ignore the symptoms. 

I was having chemotherapy during April, so some days it was an effort just to get out of bed. I found the friendship and encouragement from my fellow ActiveApril participants in the Facebook group helped me overcome the hurdles I faced during the challenge. 

At the start of the month all I could manage was an indoor cycle session. But I progressed onto short runs and did some gentle weights to help with my core strength. On the tough days the ActiveApril community inspired me to lace up my trainers and get moving. By the end of the month, I completed a 5.8km run and had logged a total of 44km! 

Continuing to raise awareness of early diagnosis 

Participating in ActiveApril is about more than just fitness. For me, it’s an opportunity to spread the word about seeking help early. If I hadn’t ignored my symptoms, my treatment could have been easier. 

That’s why I’m determined to get involved again in 2025. I’m now cancer free and due to have my ileostomy reversed in February. If my activity leads to someone else getting an early diagnosis and treatment, then like me, they’ll be looking ahead to a bright future. 

Paul's top tip for ActiveApril

My top tip from my experience is to set realistic goals. Choose a target that’s challenging yet achievable. If you can’t keep up with your plan, it can discourage you. I found sharing progress of my recovery to inspire others on my fundraising page and social media, in turn, motivated me. 

• Find out more and sign up to ActiveApril
• Learn more about bowel cancer screening 
• Read more real life stories